J. D. Brooks

BROOKS

Posted By: Melody Lager (email)
Date: 3/28/2026 at 07:44:18

Title: Biographical record and portrait album of Hamilton and Wright Counties, Iowa, containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States ...Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Biographical Pub. Co., 1889.Find this book online: https://hdl.handle.net/2027/coo1.ark:/13960/t96691j25Digitized by: Cornell UniversityOriginal from: Cornell Universitypublic Domainhttps://www.hathitrust.org/the-collection/search-access/access-use-policy/#pd

JD. BROOKS, farmer and stock-raiser, section 24, Iowa Township. The subject of this sketch has been identified with the interests of Wright County since the year 1868. He is a native of Pennsylvania, born in Pike County, October 5, 1838, a son of Daniel and Mary Brooks, both natives of Yorkshire, England, where they grew to maturity and were married. They em 'grated to America in 1827, and the father engaged in the manufacture of cloth in Pennsylvania until 1843, when he removed to Sparta, Sus sex County, New Jersey, and followed the same business until about the year 1850, when he engaged in farming and followed that for about ten years, and then removed to Jo Daviess County, Illinois, and he lived the life of a farmer for the balance of his days. He had served as magistrate for many years. He and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. His death occurred in 1874, at the age of seventy-four; his wife survived him and died at the age of eighty, in the year 1880. Our subject was five years old when his parents removed to New Jersey, and here he received a common school education. He went with his parents to Illinois and resided with them on their farm until 1864. He was married August, 1864, to Miss Elizabeth Proctor, a native of Jo Daviess County, a daughter of Abel and Mary (MofFatt) Proctor. After their marriage he engaged in the hotel business at Scales Mound, Illinois, and followed it for three years. In 1868 they emigrated to Iowa, hauling their goods with teams and being ten days on the road from their home to Iowa Falls. Our subject came on to Wright County and purchased 160 acres of wild land on the banks, of the Iowa Biver and began the task of improving it and making, himself a home. The nearest market was Iowa Falls, thirty miles distant. He now has one of the finest improved farms in the county, which contains 250 acres of fine land in a high state of cultivation. He and his estimable wife are the parents of nine children, seven of whom are still living, viz.: William M., Mary, John A., Edgar S., Estella, Luella and Fred. Mr. Brooks is a member of the A. F. and A. M., King Solomon Lodge, No. 210. Politically he is a Democrat.